Sunitha Krishnan – Anti-trafficking crusader!

I got to know Dr. Sunitha Krishnan when I was researching human
trafficking and measures to prevent it. I thought she might be a
person related to the media or an NGO. I started researching with
a TED talk show. The introduction of the video was utterly
shocking. Children as young as ages three and four were being
raped and sold into the flesh trade. I really didn't know that
innocent children are forced into such activities. I was really
moved by what Sunitha was saying about these children. My heart
skipped a beat when I thought that we are living in this world
with all these bloody cruel things happening around us.

Who is Sunitha Krishnan?

She was born in 1972. At a very young age, she wanted to help the
poor children of a village near home city, so she went to college
to become a social worker. One day as she was organizing the
village to teach the children, a gang of eight men did not like
that a woman was interfering with what they claimed as "man's
society." The male dominancy of Indian society influenced the
eight men to rape her, beating her so badly that she is partially
deaf in one ear. She has had to deal with all that and more.
Though violated, she refused to be broken and she gave birth to
an institution that assists trafficked women and girls to find
shelter. This definitely requires more courage and boldness since
this Indian society always presses women, isolates and
stigmatizes rape victims. Did you know that she is 4.5 feet tall?
Don't let her height fool you... she is a world changer. Today,
Sunitha is a leading advocate for the fight against Sex
Trafficking.

Not a victim, releasing anger

Sunitha explains in the video that the rape did not cause her to
become a victim but rather it has released this anger. Not just
any anger, but pure fury. She dedicated her life after that to
being an activist and to fight against the same thing that
happened to her. In an interview she said, "What affected
me more was the way society treated me, the way people looked at
me. Nobody questioned why those guys did it. They questioned why
I went there, why my parents gave me freedom. And I realized that
what happened to me was a one-time thing. But for many people it
was a daily thing."

What does this mean to you?

According to me, mental torture and emotional fears are worse
than murder. No one can understand, feel the pain or fear like
the women who have suffered from rape. Just imagine living with
all the pain, fear, and isolation every second in your life. I
will say each second is like a murder that occurs to that woman.

On Inspiration and Prajwala

Sunitha believes that rapists should be ashamed and punished. Her
courage, conviction, determination and her fighting spirit is an
inspiration to all of us. “Society makes you feel
cheap. I chose not to feel like a victim. I am not a victim. I am
a survivor. I speak about it with a lot of pride, because I am
proud of what I have become today. I have not done a mistake. I
don’t want my face to be blurred. I am not to be ashamed for. The
guys that have done it should be hiding their faces and they
should be blurring their faces.” – Sunitha

She co-founded Prajwala (meaning, eternal flame) in 1996 with
late Brother Jose Vetticatil. The journey began by converting a
brothel in India’s southern city of Hyderabad into a school for
the children of sex workers. Since then, she has braved threats
and physical assaults. One particular attack left her with an
irreparably damaged ear - but an undaunted Krishnan has managed
to rescue some 8,000 girls. Those rescued are rehabilitated.
Shelters have been built and a factory has been opened where
skills like carpentry, welding, etc. are taught to the girls.
Prajwala also tries to unite the victims with their families.
Sometimes, the victims are not accepted back by the families
owing to the backwardness of our views on women. At such times,
Prajwala takes full responsibility of these victims. Some women
and girls are also married off by Prajwala in its endeavour to
integrate the victims back into society. Prajwala also takes care
of the last rites of the victims who pass away. In all these
tasks, Prajwala faces stiff opposition from the orthodox and male
dominated Indian society.

Is Sunitha's work noteworthy?

Sunitha have won many awards for her courageous and exemplary
work. Her programs on rescue and rehabilitation of victims of
trafficking are sought after all around the world. Even state
governments are listening to Sunitha for the prevention of
trafficking. All this will surely help in minimising this crime.
Sunitha has said that the silence of the society towards human
trafficking has to change. Let us salute her, join hands with
this brave lady. As responsible humans, we must take oath to
contribute something to end human trafficking.

When a child grows, when a teen-age aspires, she always wanted to
be an actor, doctor, teacher, astronaut, scientist, lawyer,
president, princess, etc. Remember, prostitution or flesh
business is not on the list and it will not be. END HUMAN
TRAFFICKING.